Drain valve



NOV. 8, F. L wHlTE 2,136,163

DRAIN VALVE Filed Feb. 4, 19

[1 5% V lul w Inventor F W/azfe By M m Afiorneys Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to drain valves and an object of the invention is to provide a drain valve which may be used on vacuum pumps below the foot valves thereof, or on pressure lines, or on condensers with beam type pumps to serve as a snifiiing valve therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve of this character which may be used for connecting up shower baths on boats; and which also can be used in high pressure steam lines connected with such showers, with the valve of the invention installed in the line between the usual stop valve with which the pressure steam line is generally provided, and the shower, to the 16 end that in the event the steam valve of the line should be opened too wide resulting in an accumulation of such pressure as would tend to scald a person, my improved drain valve would automatically operate to shut off all steam until proper 20 adjustment had been made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve of this character which is characterized by simplicity of construction, and number of working parts.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide a valve which will operate with efliicency in response either to vacuum or to pressure.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drain valve which in addition to being 30 used as above suggested may be also used as a drain valve on windless engines, capstan engines, deck winches and to be used in either the intake or exhaust lines of such engines, as well as a valve which may be used to advantage in fire- 35 fighting apparatus and particularly such type of fire apparatus as form a part of marine equipment.

The present application is a continuation, in part, of my abandoned application Serial No.

40 134,345, filed under date of April 1, 1937, and

entitled Drain valve".

The present invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein'.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the valve having all the parts thereof assembled as would 5 be the case when the valve is being used to operate in response to vacuum,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve and showing such parts as would complete the assembly when the valve is to be used 55 to operate in response to pressure,

Figure 3 is a top plan View of a plug forming part of the valve assembly,

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the valve core, and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the valve core. 5

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals it will be seen that, in the preferred embodiment thereof, my improved valve comprises a substantially cylindrical casing 5 provided at the respective opposite ends thereof with polygonal 10 shoulders 6, 1 to facilitate application of a tool thereto when desired for rotating the valve casing as when, for example, the casing is being threaded onto a nipple or the like.

The interior bore of the casing 5 is of substantially uniform diameter and at the shoulderequipped end 6 thereof the bore of the casing 5 is threaded as at 8 for the reception of a threaded plug 9 or one end of a nipple I 0 as the case may be.

At the shouldered end 1 thereof the casing 5 is internally threaded as at H for receiving one threaded end of a plug 12.

Intermediate the ends thereof the valve casing 5 as clearly shown in Figure 2 is provided with an integral internal valve seat l3 against which the head II of a valve core indicated generally by the reference numeral I5 and shown to advantage in Figure 4 normally seats. As shown the head M is of cylindrical shape and has a cylindrical reduced portion I4 at its lower end for fitting in the opening of the seat l3 with the shoulder formed by the reduced portion at its junction with the larger portion engaging the upper face of the seat when the core is in closed position, as shown in Figure 2.

The valve core l5 embodies in addition to the head I4 an integral shank or stem l6 that is substantially cylindrical in cross section at the lower end thereof and which at its upper end is provided with a series of longitudinal grooves l1 forming drain passages, and ribs IB that also extend longitudinally and project slightly beyond the periphery of the stern l6 as shown.

The ribs I8 present at their lower ends shoulders H! with which is engaged one end of a coil spring 20 that tends to normally urge the valve core to an unseated position.

The head 14 of the valve I5 is also provided with intersecting transverse grooves or passages 2| that also serve as drain passages in a manner hereinafter more fully explained.

The nipple l2 as shown to advantage in Figure 2 has a threaded end 22 adapted to thread into the threaded end ll of the bore of the valve casing and a second threaded end 23 adapted to be threaded into a conduit when the valve is used, for example, to operate in response to suetion or vacuum under conditions whereby the suction or vacuum would tend to seat the valve core I5 in opposition to the action of the aforementioned spring 20. In this connection it might be also stated that where the valve is used, for example, as a pressure-responsive valve end 23 of the plug I2 may be tapped into a drain line so that the drainage from the valve may be carried oiT to any location desired.

Also the body of the plug I2 is provided with a through port 24 and this port 24 is diametrically enlarged as at 25 to accommodate the coil spring 20 and also to provide internally of the plug I2 a shoulder or seat 26 against which an end of the spring engages as shown in Figure 2.

The plug 9 is provided with a polygonal end 21 for the application of a wrench or other suitable tool thereto for threading the plug into the threaded end 8 of the bore of the casing 5; and said plug 9 is also provided with a cylindrical threaded end 28 adapted to thread into the aforementioned end 8 of the bore of valve casing 5.

The plug 9 will be used most generally when the valve is used to operate in response to suction or vacuum and is provided with a through port 29.

When the valve is to be used in a line to operate in response to pressure plug 9 is removed and at the end 6 thereof the valve casing 5 is threaded onto a nipple or the like II! extending from the line. Thus it will be seen that the Water, steam, or other pressure in the line will enter the valve casing through the nipple I and act on the head I4 of the valve core I to seat the same against the valve seat I 3 thus preventing escape of pressure from the line through the valve. When, however, the pressure falls sulficiently spring 20 will act on the valve core to unseat the valve. Consequently any water or products of condensation that may be in the line will be permitted to drain therefrom through the nipple II], the valve, and the port 24 into the conduit with which the plug I2 may be engaged as previously explained.

In this connection it will be appreciated that even when the valve I5 has been so unseated, as to, in response to the spring 20, engage the inner end of the nipple Ill ports or passages 2| and I! will provide for continued venting, or drainage of the line.

When the valve of the invention is to be used so as to operate in response to vacuum or suction end 23 of plug I2 is tapped into the line to be drained and plug 9 is inserted in the end 6 of the valve casing 5. Thus vacuum in the line will act on the valve core I 5 to normally urge the same downwardly against the action of spring 20 to seat the head I4 of the valve core. When the vacuum is reduced to an extent that will permit the spring 20 to function to raise the valve core I5 upwardly to unseat the head I4 thereof the valve will drain through the port 29 in the plug 9. In this connection under such circumstances it will also be appreciated that ports I1 and 2| will also function to permit drainage of the valve even though the valve core l5 has been raised to an extent that the head I4 thereof is in abutting engagement with the inner end 28 of the plug 9.

It is thought that the numerous uses to which the valve may be put, and the various circumstances under which it will operate, as well as the construction, utility, and advantages of the valve will be had without a more detailed description thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:-

A drain valve of the class described comprising a cylindrical casing having its ends open and said ends being internally threaded, an internal integral rib of annular shape in an intermediate part of the casing forming a valve seat, an elongated valve core having a cylindrical head formed with a reduced cylindrical lower part which provides a shoulder at its junction with the larger part, said shoulder engaging the upper face of the rib when the core is in closed position, the lower end of the core being of cylindrical shape and of less diameter than the reduced part of the head, said core having longitudinally extending grooves the-rein extending from the lower face of the reduced part of the head to the upper portion of the lower cylindrical part, said grooves forming radial ribs, the lower ends of which form shoulders, tubular members threaded into the upper and lower ends of the casing, the lower tubular member having the upper portion of its bore enlarged to form a seat at the junction of the large part with the smaller part, a spring having one end engaging the last-mentioned seat and its upper end encircling the lower cylindrical end of the core with the upper end of the spring engaging the shoulders formed by the ribs of the core, said spring normally holding the core in raised position with the grooves in the core communicating the space in the casing above the annular ribs with the space below the ribs and the lower end of the core being of much less diameter than the enlarged upper portion of the bore of the lower tubular member, and the upper portion of the head of the core having transverse grooves therein.

FITZHUGH L. WHITE. 

